Truss



Patented May 2, I899. C. D. SPEAGH.

TR U S S (Application filed Oct. 29, 1897.)

2 Shasta-Sheet l.

{No Model.)

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Patented ma 2, 1399. c. n. SPEAGH.

TBUSS.

(Application filed Oct. 29, 1897.)

2 Sheets8heet 2.

(Nu Model.)

raid 27094970 NITE' TATES ATENT FFICE.

CHARLES DAVID SPEAGH, OF DAYTON, OHIO.

TRUSS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 624,113, dated May 2, 1899.

Application filed October 29, I8 9'7.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES DAVID SPEAGH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio,have invented anew and usefulTruss, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is in the nature of a truss to be worn upon the person for the alleviation and cure of rupture and kindred ailments.

The primary object of my invention is to generally improve the construction of this' class of devices, to simplify and cheapen them, and render them more durable and effective in operation.

A further object of my invention is to furnish improved means for attaching the pads of trusses to the belts.

WVith these objects in view my invention consists in the improved construction, arrangement, and combination of parts hereinafter fully described and afterward specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention most nearly appertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe its construction and op eration, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this speciiication, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating a truss constructed in accordance with my invention in position upon the person. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a truss constructed in accordance with my invention detached from the person. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional View through the spring portion of my improved truss-belt in the position it assumes when off the person. Fig. 4 is avertical section through the pad and belt at their point of attachment. Fig. 5 is a view in elevation of the metal plate on the inside of the pad to which the securing means are attached. Fig. 6 is a view in elevation of the outside of the pad with the attaching-plate removed. Fig. 7 is a detail perspective View of a buckle for securing the free ends of the belt together. Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of the clasp for securing the crotch-strap at its rear end to the belt. Fig. 9 is a detail perspective View of a portion of the spring and its clamp- Serial No. 656,830. (No model.)

To the front of the leather portion D of the I belt is attached a strap E by means of seams of stitching F near the outer edges of the strap E, the strap being narrower than the belt and being provided with transverse slits G and G, whereby are formed pockets into which the ends of a flat metal spring H are inserted, said spring being curved and inserted into the pockets in a manner to normally hold that portion of the belt curved outward, as shown on Fig. 3, when not adjusted upon the person, the object of such arrangement being to cause the spring to bear with considerable force inward when bent backward against its own spring curvature by fitting the belt about the person.

When adjusted to the person, the free ends of the belt are secured together by means of a buckle or clasp I, Fig. 7, which is attached adj ustably upon the webbing or rear end of the belt and engaged with a button (not shown) on the front edge of the belt, which passes into an opening I in the clasp I.

J is the pad, which consists of a cushion K, covered with soft leather L, which has its edges turned inward around a piece of leather L after the manner of an insole, a second leather plate L being placed upon the outside of theinturned edges and secured thereto by means of screws passing through openings L in the plate L through the inturned edges of the leather L, and into the inner leather plate L. A metal plate M somewhat smaller than the leather plate L is secured in position upon said plate L by means of screws passing through openings M The metal plate M is dished somewhat, its outer edges being turned inward, leaving a space beneath it. A metallic loop N, formed by bending a strip of metal in the center, is provided with a countersunk hole N in its inner fold, and the larger hole N in its outer fold registering with the countersunk hole. It is also provided near its two ends with registering holes N The plate M and the outer leather plate L are provided with registering curved slots 1 4 and L near their upper ends, the slots being drawn on the arc of the same circle, with the holes N and L as centers. A screw-bolt 0 passes through the holes N and Nin the clamping-loop and through the metal plate M and the inner and outer leather plates L and L being provided inside of the inner leather plate L with a nut O. A screwbolt P passes through the registering holes N in the ends of the clamping loop and through the curved slots M and L in the metal plate M and leather plate U, a nut I being provided on the inside of the leather plate L slightly wider than the slot L.

In securing the pad to the belt one end of the spring II is first slipped through the slit G in the pocket at that end. Then the free end of the spring is passed through the securing-loop, covering the head of the screwbolt 0, and finally the opposite end of the spring is passed through the slit G. In this condition the pad when properly adjusted to its position on the belt may be turned upon the screw-bolt O, the extent of such turning adjustment being limited by the length of the curved slots M and L When adjusted in this respect, the screw-bolt 0 will be turned in hard, which will clamp the two folds of the clamping-loop N together against the spring and at the same time clamp the two ends of the loop against the metal plate M, thus securely holding the pad in its adjustment.

A sliding clasp Q is adjusted upon the rear portion of the belt to adjustably hold the rear end of the erotch-strap R, the forward end being provided with a loop S to engage a hook T, secured to the outer leatherplate L of the pad by passing its main body through said plate and securing it on the inside bya rivet U, as shown in Fig. 4.

The material of which the'cushion or pad is made consists of a properly-molded block of spongy gelatinous substance somewhat similar to the material of which printers rollers are made, said material being impregnated with some approved antiseptic. From practical experience I have found that such material is eminently adapted for this purpose, inasmuch as it is soft while at the same time elastic, always exerting a pleasant though constant pressure and retaining its shape and elasticity for a long time, the clastic pressure being such as to cause no injury whatever to the person.

The construction and operation of my improved truss will be readily understood from the foregoing description, and while I have illustrated and described the best means now known to me for carrying out my invention I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact construction and arrangementshown and described, but hold that such slight changes and variations as might suggest themselves to the ordinary mechanic would properly fall within the limit and scope of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. A truss provided with a belt consisting partially of webbing and partially of leather, the leather section being provided with pockets, a reyersible curved spring having its ends seated in said pockets, a loop encompassing the spring, a pad secured upon the said spring by means of said loop, and a screw passing through the loop and belt into the pad, substantially as described.

2. The combination with the belt and pad, of the spring having its ends inserted in pockets in the belt, the clamping-loop through which the spring is passed, the screw passing through the inner fold of the clamping-loop and the belt into the pad, and the screw passing through the ends of the clamping-loop and belt into the pad, substantially as described.

3. The pad herein described, consisting of the cushion, the inner leather plate, the leather covering having turned-in edges, the outer leather plate provided wit-h a curved slot, these parts being connected together by screws, substantially as described.

4. The combination with the pad provided with the inner and outer leather and metal plates, the two latter being provided with curved slots, of the belt, the spring having its ends secured in pockets in the belt, the clamping-loop through which the spring passes, the screw-bolt passing through the belt and inner fold of the clamping-loop, the metal plate and the two leather plates, the nut on said screwbolt inside the inner leather plate, the screwbolt passing through the ends of the clamping-loop and the slots in the metal plate and the outer leather plate, and the nut inside the inner leather plate, engaging said screwbolt, substantially as described.

CHARLES DAVID SPEAGII. lVitnesses:

W. H. MILLER, G. M. LEOPOLD. 

